BURNABY, BC: Students in the School of Health Sciences at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) are getting hands-on training in radiation therapy techniques thanks to a leading-edge 3-D virtual environment training system called VERT (Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training).
VERT is a large 3-D projection system complete with special goggles, a virtual linear accelerator (x-ray unit used to treat cancer) and life-size visualizations of the human body. The system helps students learn and practice radiation therapy techniques in a safe, calm, cost-effective and leading-edge environment.
Thanks to a partnership between the BC Cancer Agency, the London Drugs Foundation, and the Envision Financial Community Endowment administrated by the First West Foundation, VERT is now in use in BCIT classrooms.
“We are very grateful to our partners for providing us with this sophisticated educational system,” says Bill Dow, dean of the School of Health Sciences. “This hands-on learning is critical to improving students’ confidence and technique as they help treat BC’s cancer patients.”
As breast cancer awareness month approaches, nearly 60% of all new cancer patients in BC undergo radiation therapy and almost all of those patients – no matter where they are in the province – are treated by BCIT Radiation Therapy graduates working through the BC Cancer Agency.
“This new technology will help educate a wide array of health care professionals with the outcome being exceptional care for cancer patients across the province. We are a proud participant in the VERT program at BCIT says,” says Dr. Ivo Olivotto, Vice President Radiation Therapy and Functional Imaging, BC Cancer Agency.
VERT will help BCIT radiation therapy students develop core competencies which will assist the health care system in treating the 179,000 patients across the province who undergo radiation treatment each year.
“London Drugs is committed to helping fight cancer in BC and the VERT system is a positive step towards giving students the skills they will need to help patients recover,” says Wynne Powell, London Drugs president and CEO. “We are pleased to provide funding for a complete renovation of the London Drugs VERT lab so this equipment can be used in a classroom environment.”
The virtual system eliminates the purchase of a costly linear accelerator, and helps students learn the movements, set-ups, and treatment procedures for radiation therapies in a safe environment without using hospital resources.
“We understand that rates of cancer diagnosis are expected to rise 2.5 per cent annually, making projects like VERT that much more significant,” explains Seline Kutan, executive director of the First West Foundation. “We’re proud to lend our support to BCIT’s Radiation Therapy program and help students benefit from VERT’s cutting-edge technology.”
Training with VERT at BCIT frees up equipment in hospitals for patient treatment and allows students to practice in a classroom setting without harm to patients and can be used on lap-top computers to help cancer patients further understand their treatments.
VERT is an example of delivering hands-on state of practice skills to students before they enter the workforce.
